Lamp shade support



T- A. STIFFEL LAMP SHADE SUPPORT June 24, 1958 Filed Dec. 3, 1954 United States Patent LAMP SHADE SUPPORT Theophile Alphonse Stilfel, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 3, 1954, Serial No. 472,947

Claims. (Cl. 240-132) This invention relates to improvements in fixtures for supporting shades on table and floor lamps. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a fixture for supporting shades on table and floor lamps which fixture is collapsible for shipment to reduce the height of "the table and/or floor lamp to the top of the lamp socket.

Another object of this invention is to provide a collapsible shade fixture which may be readily set up for mounting of the shade.

Another object of this invention is to provide 'a harp for supporting a lamp shade, which harp is pivotally mounted and adapted to be selectively secured in upright shade mounting position or in a collapsed position so that it does not extend above the lamp socket.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

' In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the improved shade fixture with .the harp in upright or shade mounting position.

. Fig, 2 is .a side view thereof and showing in .dotted lines the harp in a collapsed position.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4 of a modified form of pivotal connection.

Fig. 6 is a partial front view partly in cross-section of a modified construction.

Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6 and showing in dotted lines the harp in a collapsed position, and

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the bracket member shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The socket housing 10 supports therewithin the usual socket and switch not shown into which is threaded the lamp bulb 12. The socket housing has the usual depressed fingers 14 for engagement with the socket. The socket housing is supported and attached to the lamp standard 16 in the conventional manner, withthe conducting wire 18 passing through the lamp standard and connected to the socket switch.

The socket housing 10 is provided at the top thereof with a circumferential rim 20 which extends above the socket and which has a pair of diametrically opposed vertically extending channels or recessed portions 22. The wall 24 of each channel is provided with a pair of spaced bosses or projections 26 and an intermediate opening 28.

The harp, generally indicated at 30 is generally loop shaped with a pair of diametrically downwardly extending legs 32, the lower portions of which are flattened to provide opposed flat sides 36 and 37 and fiat ends 38. The inner flat sides 36 are each provided with a pair of spaced recesses 40 to receive the spaced projections 26. An opening 42 is provided in each of the legs intermediate the recesses 40.

A knurled screw 44 having a threaded shank 46 and a knurled head 48 secures the harp 30 to the socket casing 10. The threaded shank 46 passes through the opening 42 in the legs 32 of the harp and extends into threaded engagement with the opening 28 of the socket housing 10 to pivotally secure the hook to the socket housing. 5 The harp 30 is made preferably of steel and the legs 32 thereof are normally urged inwardly to press against the sides of the socket housing 10. With the flattened legs 32 of the harp in the vertical channels 22 of the socket housing, the projections 26 will engage the recesses 40 in the legs of the harp and firmly support the harp in the upright position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By tightening the knurledscrew 44 the harp 30 is positively locked in this position and pivotal movement of the harp is prevented. The top of the harp is provided with the usual threaded shank 49 to which is secured the lamp shade.

The harp 30 may be pivoted to a collapsed position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 by loosening the knurled screws 44 and swinging the harp downwardly. The legs 32 of the harp will move slightly outwardly of the vertical channels 22 in the socket housing 10 and the recesses 40 will become disengaged from the projections 26 to permit the harp legs 32 to pivot past the vertical channels 22 and permit the harp to be moved to the collapsed position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. By unthreading the screws 44 the harp may be detached from the socket housing.

The harp may thus be readily moved to a shade mounting position or collapsed to an unmounting position. With the harp in a collapsed position and the lamp bulb ll removed, the overall height of the lamp is reduced for shipping or storing purposes.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of pivotal connection. In this construction the vertical channel 22a of the socket housing is similar to the previously described channel 22 but it does not have the projecting members therein. The leg 32a of the harp is similar to the legs 32 but does not have the recesses therein forengaging the projecting members. The knurled screw 44a has a shank 46a which extends loosely through the opening 42a in the leg of the harp and through the opening 28a of the socket housing. -A washer 45 is fixedly secured to the end of the shank 46a and a coiled spring 47 surrounds the shank and engages the washer and socket housing to normally urge and retain the legs of the harp in the vertical channel 22a so that the harp is in the upright position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. T o collapse the harp, the knurled screw 44a is pulled outwardly against the tension of the spring and the harp may then be pivoted'downwardly similarly to that described with respect to Figs. 1 and 4.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show a modified construction in which the harp generally indicated at 50 is pivotally supported as at 52 on a bracket, generally indicated at 54. The bracket 54 is provided with a central portion 56 having an enlarged opening 58 whereby same is secured to the top of a lamp standard 60 and to a socket 62 in the conventional manner. The bracket 54 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed arms 64 which terminate in flattened sides 66. The legs 51 of the harp 50 are also provided with flattened sides 53, which are positioned inwardly and adjacent the flattened sides 66 of the arms 64. The parts are pivotally joined together by a stud 67. A slideable sleeve 68 is slideable on the legs of the harp and is adapted to lock the harp in its fully upright shade supporting position when the sleeve is in its fully lowered position, as shown in Fig. 6. In this position it embraces the leg 51 of the harp and the arm 64 of the bracket and prevents pivoting of the harp with respect to the bracket. When the sleeve 68 is raised, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, the harp may be pivoted or swung to its collapsed position, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 7. In this position as in the previous construction the overall I a 3 height of the lamp is reduced for shipping and storing purposes.

There is thus provided a very simple and inexpensive construction for mounting of lamp shades which may be .readily collapsed for shipping and storing, and which may be readily setup for the support of the shade.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fixture for a table or floor lamp comprising a socket casing having an annular rim at the top thereof, a pair of oppositely positioned vertical channels formed in said annular rim, a harp having leg members with flattened end portion which are pivotally secured to the rim of said socket casing within saidcha'nnels and confined in said channels when supporting said harp in an upright 1 position and positioned outwardly of said' channels but pivotally connected thereto when in a collapsed position.

2. A fixture for a table or floor lamp comprising a socket casing having an annular rim at the top thereof, a pair of oppositely positioned vertical channels formed in said annular rim, 9. harp having legs pivotally secured to said socket casing adapted to be positioned in said .vertical channels when said harp is in a shade supporting'position; means on said legs and on said rim within said channels cooperating to lock said harp in shade supporting position, said harp adapted to be pivoted downwardly when in a collapsed position with the legs of the harp moved outwardly of said channels but pivotally connected thereto.

3. A fixture for a table or floor lamp comprising a socket casing having an annular rim at the top thereof, a pair of oppositely positioned vertical channels'formed in said annular rim and having projections therein, a harp having legs pivotally secured to the rim of said socket casing within said channels and adapted to be positioned in said vertical channels when said harp is in a shade supporting position, said legs having recesses to engage said projections to lock said legs in their shade supporting position, said harp adapted to be pivoted downwardly when in a collapsed position with the legs moved outwardly of said channels but pivotally connected thereto.

4. A fixture for a table or floor lamp comprising a socket having an annular rim at the top thereof, a pair of oppositely positioned vertical channels formed in said annular rim, a harp having legs pivotally secured to the rim of said socket casing within said channels and adapted to be positioned in said vertical channels when said harp is in a shade supporting position, spring means for nor- ,mally urging said legs inwardly in said vertical channels, said harp adapted to be pivoted downwardly when in harp in an upright position, separate removable means extending through said end portions and said channels for pivotally connecting said end portions to said channels, said end portions moving out of confinement of said channels when said harp is moved to collapsed position but at all times pivotally connected to said channel when in collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,537,789 Yentis et al. May 12, 1925 1,974,947 Berger Sept.- 25, 1934 2,531,023 Berger Nov. 21, 1950 2,623,158 Crumrine et al. Dec. 23, 1952 2,650,294 Berger Aug. 25, 1953 2,662,166 Berger Dec. 8, 1953 

